Need some advice about benefits...

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I'm not sure if I'm entitled to benefits. Gonna be a fairly longish post, apologies in advance.

My mum died in 2007 and left me her house and £40k. I currently live in a house that is owned by my dad, elsewhere, with no rent to pay (v.v.v.v. lucky indeed, I know!). We don't have a close relationship and I see him maybe 1 or 2 times a year (I moved out at 17 and have never asked for money, he sees this as me doing him a favour and looking after the house, rather than it being a gift - it's not in my name). I rent out the other house and get in £800 per month from this. I haven't declared this rent - long story but was initially told that when I started renting it out in 2009 I was below the tax amount - then I worked for a year and honestly forgot about it as the rent was being used up in things like new boiler for the property and general maintenance when the tenants moved in. I'm probably quite naive about all of this and people did say that I can claim back for maintenance on a rented house, but I don't know quite how to do this. Plus I don't really want to alert the "authorities" as I'm scared i'll have to pay back tax for years (because I worked for the one in between) which will just about kill me at the moment. I haven't worked for about a year and literally all I have is the £800 coming in each month. Baby on the way in July and council tax at £150 with 25% single occupancy already off it...doesn't leave much to live on really if you add in food and utilities! I've even decided not to have a land line to save a bit and am really quite frugal.

I'm sure loads of people are much worse off though, and I am well aware that I am very lucky to have a house at all and not have had to work for a year. I don't mean to offend anyone at all. Obviously no one will employ me at the moment as clearly preggo, but I don't know if I am being cheeky asking for a little extra? Maybe it's completely unreasonable? I honestly have never thought about it before, but as my due date gets closer, I find myself wondering.

Are you joking?

No BooBoo, not joking. Honestly not sure what the average family lives on.

You would probably be be entitled to child tax credit and child benefit. It's not enough to live on. Give tax credits a ring.

Thanks MotherSnacker I thought there might be something. My friend said another lady who has her savings of £60k (still intacto unlike mine) was getting help for pregnancy and about a year after birth with something or other...assume this must be similar.

Do you think I'd have to go into detail about the income though? Will I be fined? :( Sorry if that sounds really crap, but I just can't do it if I get fined a lump sum

so are you on income support or planning to apply??

then you'd be eligible for all that goes with it,and council tax would be paid

Nope - just living on the £800 coming from rent, not got any other benefits... I guess my main question is if I apply for benefits i'll have to explain the £800 coming in and they'll want to know all about it - which I'm happy to declare as long as it's not a fine-able thing, as I don't have any extra to pay it!

get the forms and see what info they ask for?? i dont remember them going into too much detail

income support is around £67 weekly,you would get free vitamins and milk/fruit/veg tokens of £3.10 weekly

tax credits....look on website

housing benefit,not needed,but full council tax benefit

cold weather payments. after 26 weeks you can apply for grants/interest free loans

you would barely get £200 anyway.....what about maintenence from the dad?

Get the tax credit form and see what info it asks for. I can't remember.

He ran out at 16 weeks (suddenly decided baby wasn't for him) and has now been head hunted for work and moved to Spain with the new company 2 weeks ago. Only realised last week that him living abroad seems to mean I can't claim CSA and tbh it's very unlikely he'll pay anything off his own back. Yes, that's probably what has started me mentally wringing my hands. Been trying to be a bit stoic about it all but financially it's a bit of a crap situ.

well you can only apply and see i guess

any fine would have to be paid off at £1 a week,another 'benefit' of being on benefits!!

Oh right, well that's made it less daunting! Thank you everyone, at least I can try and see what they say. Just tried calling the number and apparently they can't take my call at present so will see if I can get through tomorrow instead. Very helpful though, thanks everyone :)

Go to the CAB. They'd be able to help you with the benefits situation and also help with the back rent/tax issue as well.

You can put in an application for benefits via the benefits agency website and then they ring you back and set up an appointment for you.

I don't think you'd be entitled to income support, you have too much capital. Have you considered selling your mum's house? That would give you a huge lum sum presumably. You could live off that until you return to work.

My mum died in 2007 and left me her house and £40k.

= no entitlement to Income Support or Housing Benefit.

As soon as your savings are £6k+, your benefit entitlement starts to decrease. At £16k, entitlement ends.

Everything else is kinda beside the point, unless that £40k has been used up.

You should, however, be eligible for Child Benefit and Child Tax Credit.

As others have said, go to CAB.

Thanks again - I've emailed the CAB so I can get an appointment and go over it all with them. Hopefully they can help with the maintenance issue as well :)